Minutes before.
Again, one of the many doors was knocked down with a single blow. The door fell to the ground heavily, while through it Christopher entered.
He wielded his magic, holding it quite tightly between both hands. His eyes swept across the room.
After a brief moment of visual research, he found a bed that looked quite comfortable. Getting closer, he could notice how some bags of snacks were lying around the bed.
"Could it be that there is no one?" Christopher wondered aloud as he sheathed his sword. Then he turned around, pretending to leave the place, believing that the room was empty.
-COF COF COF-
(Blood falling)
"What?"
The sound of what seemed to have been a person coughing caught his attention.
-COF COF COF-
"There's someone here!"
The cough, although very low, seemed to come from someone very close to him.
He shifted his gaze and looked at the whole place, from right to left, trying not to overlook anything.
Again, he heard someone coughing again and that was more than enough to locate that person, near the bed, he went over there and saw someone.
It was a person whose hands were imprisoned by shackles that connected with chains, which were attached to the wall. This captive person was dressed in ragged rags, which barely covered his body.
"She's a woman." Christopher commented to himself when he highlighted it better.
Blindfolded and many visible bruises along that injured skin, and you could say that, underneath their ragged clothes there would be many more.
At first glance it didn't seem like it, but something about this woman was very familiar to him. "This girl." Christopher said to himself as his eyes widened.
She was missing the ears that would mark her as demihuman, but even so, he was sure he knew her.
That woman opened her mouth for a brief moment, revealing the lack of her characteristic front teeth.
And that was more than enough for Christopher to confirm that he knew her, there was no longer any doubt in his thinking.
How many times have I visited her while looking for food for her mother and sister, how many times has she served him with such kindness and a huge smile.
Remembering the times he had struck up a conversation with that pleasant demi-human, all while going to a certain restaurant.
"Lord Christopher, I have lunch ready for your daughter."
"Our Ladies have come to bring the food; you are quite a gentleman."
"We don't have that, but I know your daughter will like these pastas with spinach stuffing and apple juice."
"Please, make sure that your daughter eats well and that she never lacks anything, she is a very young girl and you must make sure that she grows up healthy and strong."
It was true that the only deal he had had with that woman was, so to speak, work-related, from the girl's point of view.
But I also knew that this person was very loved, a little melancholic at times but gave everything of himself to get ahead.
Christopher knew that girl was an orphan, but he considered all her friends and even Doraida her family.
Blood was still flowing from the girl's nose. She coughed and then some blood also came out of her mouth.
Christopher was still with his eyes open, watching every inch of this girl's body.
"Nina?" He called her approaching her "is that you?"
And at that moment, a shudder seemed to have run through every part of Nina's body, the demihuman rabbit who was sought by Doraida.
Nina had just woken up and made a slight stretch, she felt uncomfortable and everything hurt. She wanted to rub the area where her cute bunny ears should be, so far they still hurt a lot.
She has never had time to recover because she was constantly abused.
"¡Nina!"
She heard someone calling her, and to her, the call sounded somewhat annoying, as if it were an order.
Nina shuddered, but quickly tried to regain her composure, revealing a nervous smile, impregnated with fear.
"Ma-Master," she said, trying to straighten his back.
She lifted her chin, revealing her neck, filled with what appeared to be heavy kiss marks adorning what was once a pretty, flawless neck. "We-Welcome." And systematically, even when she was tied, she spread her legs revealing their very important intimacy.
"Use me however you want, master."
She smiled, but the smile that was drawn on his injured face was too false and even conveyed fear, she tried hard to do it.
She swallowed some saliva, the fear she felt was evident "Master, I'm your whore, please ma-make me yours."
"Nina, what did they do to you?" Nina heard someone calling her again, but this voice was nothing like her master's.
It seemed strange to him, but it only lasted a second, the only one who could enter here was her master.
Nina heard the footsteps approaching her, she sighed and bit her lips until she felt a kind of tug taking off her bandages.
Her teary eyes could see some light. He blinked once, leagues away you could see the large dark circles adorning the bottom of her eyes. All the physical and mental fatigue that he has been carrying was evident.
She tried to focus her eyes on the person in front of her. "Master?" Nina murmured, not being able to recognize him, luckily and little by little the clouds that covered her vision were clarifying the world.
"You, you're not my master" was the first thing Nina said when she saw the young man who seemed to want to cry.
"It's good, it's good that you're still alive, Nina." Christopher mentioned with real happiness, adorning the expressions on his face. "Don't worry, I'll release you right now, just sit still for a moment. Please don't move, I don't want to fail and hurt you."
"Who are you?" And she felt how her hands were liveries, the chains that had her imprisoned to the wall were cut without any problem. Her hands fell to the front, as they were lacking strength, she could not hold them.
Nina felt some relief and looked at the one who saved him "but, why... what?."
And that's when she recognized him, she finally recognized him.
To that young man whom he had served so many times in the restaurant, who always bought lunch and dinner for his mother and sister.
The one who was believed to have a secret daughter turned out to be someone he rescued and welcomed into his home.
To that boy with whom she always wanted to have a friendly relationship, to be closer to him and not only because he was the young Lord, but because of the strange but beautiful aura that this young man always transmitted.
Tears fell from Nina's eyes as she looked at Christopher, it was impossible for her to resist the urge to sob, in fact, she was already doing it.
"Christopher..." She called it a trembling voice, there was no need to speak to him with respect or use honorifics, at least not in this situation. "You came to save me" her emaciated face could not help but express happiness, although it seemed that she was sad and crying with melancholy she was really happy "me, a semi-human."
"Yes, Nina, I'm really so glad you're still alive," the young Lord added again, "just hope Doraida finds out, she'll be so happy."
She was crying heavily and had to try to calm down when she heard the boss's name "my boss? Did she come to get me too?"
And with what was said, Nina coughed dryly again.
"Wait a moment, drink some water, you can drink it all" just by looking at her chapped lips, it was evident the horrible state of dehydration in which Nina was.
She took the water, Christopher helped her hold her because the demihuman's arms were tired and weak. Not a single drop of water fell to the ground, not even the smallest one.
Nina drank all the water in a state of utter despair: she was trembling and crying, she didn't want to waste even the slightest drop.
She finished drinking all the water and looked at Christopher still wanting more. "Can you give me more water?" Nina was not afraid to ask for it because I knew him, I knew in advance that this person would never do anything bad to him, never.
Christopher had three canteens full of water and had no problem giving it all to her "if you want more, just ask me again."
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Taking advantage of Nina's drinking water, Christopher was in charge of wiping away her tears and also the blood stains impregnated on her face. "Right now we're in the middle of a mission to rescue all the people who have been kidnapped, just like you."
"Rescue mission?" Nina murmured very quietly "so, you are fighting and that's why the tremors..."
"Yeah," Christopher replied, "outside the base they are fighting very hard against the strongest mercenaries of this criminal organization, many of our own are participating... to Doraida, she's been looking for you everywhere."
"So, she's looking for me too." More tears fell down Nina's face.
"And not only her, but also your companions have been looking for you." Christopher smiled at her again, "Doraida even requested a mission to find you from the adventurer's guild and put the reward out of her own pocket, so I know they'll be very happy for you to come back. So come on, Nina, we're so close to the mission ending. Surely my mother... Lady Valentina and her party have already wiped out almost all the mercenaries."
"Yes," Nina replied through tears, "thank you very much for saving me, my young Lord, I thank you so much. Thank you for looking for me, me, who am only a demihuman."
"Enough is enough, Nina, I hate to forgive you for saying that."
She nodded with a small smile, at least she looked much calmer now.
"Come on, I'll help you, I'll carry you until we go outside.
"WE FOUND ONE MORE."
…
The young leader was thrown from the room where he was, followed by Mathias carrying Kisara on his back. The young leader was quite kind and gave her his upper garments so that the demihuman would not show her nakedness, it was already too much for everyone to see her horrible marks.
Also, Christopher came out of another of the rooms, carrying Nina, in her case, it was not necessary to give her his clothes because in the room there were others that the cursed master used to dress her, they were all rags but the ones he was currently wearing were the ones in the best condition.
"Selestia, what's going on?" asked Sebastian, reaching out to her, who was responsible for giving the scream.
"We found him," she said, her face denoting extreme sadness, "Diana and I found this boy." It was a human being apparently the same age as Diana, but truly wounded, a clear sign that he has been severely tortured.
"They removed both his eyes, an arm and even a leg" Selestia covered him with some fabrics that she found inside "unfortunately, there was no longer any point, his life is over."
Diana lowered her head letting out a sigh of anguish "when we found him, he was still alive, although he was on his last legs, that room was a sea of his blood."
"Apparently his master has massacred him, in his room there were the same torture devices as that girl's, but in the case of this boy, his master did not hesitate to use each and every one of those devices, even in his eyes."
Selestia closed hers, remembering how she had found the eyes of this person lying and bathing in that sea of blood and the boy attached to the torture bed. "His eyes were all over the floor, apparently his master likes to make his slaves suffer."
"Hey, Chirstopher, is that Nina?" Anita asked, approaching the group as Christopher nodded. "Nina" called her, she turned her head somewhat tired and immediately recognized the young Lord's friends.
"Are you... Anita? Did you also come to save me?"
"Isn't it obvious? How am I going to leave a friend aside? What a happiness to see you alive."
Sebastian put a hand on the shoulders of both his sister and his beloved. "Don't be sad, it's not your fault and even if you had arrived earlier, none of that would change, unfortunately." He stroked the young man's hair in his beloved's hands. "That boy was already on his last legs, at least they have freed him from that place where he must have had such horrible moments."
"She's the one who was screaming, isn't she?" Now Anita asked her beloved and he immediately nodded.
That's right, please Anita, don't bother with me for carrying her, but it seems that she is not willing to be carried by a human, she is too afraid of them."
"Fool," Anita reproached him, "do you think I'll claim something from you? you are doing something very nice for someone who has suffered so many hardships, don't worry and just make sure that she gets out safe and sound."
"Alright, guys, it's time to go back," the leader said, "I confirm that they have checked in each of the rooms and have only found them." The others nodded.
"It's a shame, apparently those who lived in the other rooms have left and taken their slaves, or maybe they killed them not wanting anyone else to have them, whatever the case we will not be able to do anything anymore. We have to go back."
"Then let's go," Mathias added moving and making a movement so that Kisara is in a better position "Kisara, hold on with all your strength so as not to fall, it may be a bit abrupt while I'm running."
"Diana, Anita and I will cover the front, remember that Neledia and the others are likely to have already left so, as a precaution, we will start from here with the formation." The other names nodded.
"Sebastian and Lady Selestia will be in charge of covering the rearguard, if you only see something moving attack at will no matter who it is." A really difficult job, because in case they attack from behind they must stay to fight until the threat is down and not only that.
Confusion can occur and they may unintentionally attack a lagging ally who may be confused. Both must be on the highest possible alert.
"Let's give the best of ourselves" Sebastian did not hug her or anything, but showed her his fist trying to bump into hers "now we are different, we have gone through traumatic experiences which have not made us mature even more."
"Yes," Selestia replied, "we won't let anything bad happen to our friends, let's do our best, Sebastian, just don't be left behind," their fists collided.
"You too, Nina," Christopher arranged her so that he had the best position so that she would be comfortable and that he could carry her on his back.
She wrapped some strength around the young lord's neck, "excuse me if I hug you too tightly," it was simply so she could hold on and not fall.
"Don't worry, and what's more, I think it's okay for you to hold on as much as you can" Christopher smiled at her again, rearranging her "after all, it could be a bit abrupt while I'm running, so please hold on with all your strength and do your best not to fall."
Suddenly, Mathias' ears twitched. "Hey... something is happening."
"What do you mean?" asked the leader while Christopher for some reason remained static in the place looking towards the door. Totally stiff.
"It seems that... many footsteps are coming towards this here... I don't distinguish how many, but something strange is heard behind them." Mathias' face reflected true seriousness.
"I feel like an enormous amount of magical energy is coming towards us and very quickly," Selestia with a drop of sweat falling.
"What's going on?" The leader wondered, the situation seemed to be becoming more and more unfavorable.
"Can you hear more things, Mathias?" Anita looked a little anxious, but kept her composure.
"Just the same, but it's like there's a fight going on now... they are moving away again."
"The magical energy source increased again and is heading towards here at very high speeds." Selestia was already sweating due to nerves.
"Wait here a moment," the young leader ordered, "I'll see what's going on, in any case, hide if something bad happens." The young Leader headed towards the door, but not before observing Christopher, who was just looking there.
"I hope everyone is okay," the young leader opened the door and intended to leave. He did not take a single step when with his eyes open, he turned around and taking out everything he had he shouted to heaven
"FIREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!."
Christopher seemed to have come to his senses, he didn't need to stop and think.
Immediately, he summoned some magic to protect himself.
Diana was close. He then stretched it towards him, placing it on the ground and immediately raised the magic field.
“Water Elemental Magic: Triple Water Dome.
Reminiscent of ten years ago, when he had fought with his mother, but this time three layers of water rose above him, the demihuman and Diana who now embraced him.
While this was happening, he looked around observing that his sister had done the same, having Sebastian inside him who looked at him with marked concern, it was not necessary because Christopher would protect Diana even if his own life was in danger.
His beloved sister was in good hands.
Anita also did the same, she quickly took Mathias and sat him down, that was so that there would not be a single problem when the water dome rises above them. He immediately hugged the demi-human so that she would not be frightened, at least, even more than she already was.
I would protect that girl.
The superiority between Diana and the boys was clear and at the same time, the boys and the young leader.
Leagues away you could tell the difference in experience. The boys had done well to protect themselves with water, but for that magnitude of power it would not be enough.
Although they were adults, they were still very inexperienced when it came to being adventurous. As soon as they heard an attack approaching, they raised their defenses.
In these cases, there was still something to be done, such as measuring the amount of magic power needed to defend oneself. The boys had erected a protection that would not be enough, even the young leader knew that even his would not be insufficient.
Apparently, the cause of the attack was far superior to him, so thinking fast as lightning he went to the next thing, diverting the attack and not being able to enter through that door.
"Seal Magic: Deflecting Magic Attacks"
A circular seal with a bunch of inscribed on it appeared right in the door area, the seal was slowly rotating and the letters began to glow.
All the action of the boys and the mental preparation of the young leader lasted much less than it appeared.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSSSS
The fire collided against the magical floating seal and it prevented it from entering the interior, the fire broke in two crashing against the seal. That whole long corridor was nothing but a fiery inferno.
The fire completely occupied everything, there was not a single inch that was saved from the burning fury of the flames. Even some small insects burned to ashes, not even they could be saved.
The young leader was sweating heavily and gritting his teeth. "It's too strong" he could barely speak, feeling his magical energy drain from maintaining that seal "I won't be able to resist much longer" and in that way, the seal was broken.
The powerful and invincible torrent of fire entered the place, taking full control and expanding to every corner of this and all the rooms. The doors were burning, the beds, the straw used by the slaves. Everything, the furniture, even the inert leather of the poor dead slave.
Christopher and Diana, both on top of Nina as protection.
Whatever they are, they would prevent the poor demi-human from continuing to feel pain, she has already been through too much.
Despite being under three layers of water, they felt that everything was burning and unbearable.
Christopher opened his eyes and the world outside the triple water dome was dyed an intense red and orange hue. It seemed that hell had come to the place and only the Devils were missing.
Sebastian with one eye open could say that he was indeed beautiful if he were not so deadly, he should thank Selestia, because her magic is much more powerful than his. If it were up to him right now, they would be charring.
Nina felt an intense heat, as hot as never before in her life, she even had the feeling that her eyes were burning to the point that at any moment they would burn them and that even though she closed them quite tightly, luckily, she covered her nose, she was not as stupid as one would think.
Nina knew that in this type of situation the fire could burn her lungs, she covered them and gave small breaths of air because even being under the water domes everything burned and now so did the ground.
Little by little, it became painful to continue lying down, but there was no other way, it was either that or burn in the violent flames that destroyed everything outside the dome.
But at some point, everything had to end and the flames were diminishing in power and violence, little by little they were receding and leaving behind a large fire, at least in the area since there were many things that could easily burn with the presence of fire.
The three domes that were still standing exploded with great force, throwing all the water they contained in in all directions.
It was a good idea, because in this way they would appease the flames in the surroundings or at least in the areas where there were flammable things.
The water in some areas seemed to boil, the ground looked quite scorched and cracked.
Steam continued to come out of some areas. It was hard to breathe because the air was quite hot. They looked away at the surroundings.
"Nina," Christopher called visibly worried, for the moment she was his priority, "are you okay? Can you breathe?" he asked again as she, in great pain, barely opened her eyes.
"Yes," Nina replied, in pain, "but it hurts a lot." The girl was exhausted, she had not felt to ask if she is okay or not.
Christopher nodded "hold on a little longer, just a little more and before you know it you'll be at home sleeping" he was totally catatonic instead feeling some strange vibrations coming from the ground, it only lasted a measly second and then:
BOOOOOOM
Something or someone entered very violently through the small broken door that led to the passageway, the violence was so great that the entrance had even been enlarged. It took me no more than half a second to walk between the door and one of the rooms
CRASH BOOOOM